Taking blades to (and from) Blade?

resinguy

resinguy

Joined
Feb 19, 2006
Messages
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I hope the moderators will indulge me here, as this is not strictly speaking a custom knife question. But I thought it might be of interest to the community, and I expect I can get some useful answers here among the adults.

I am flying to Blade this year, and faced with the problem of how (or if) to carry good, expensive knives to and from Atlanta. The risk of theft from my checked baggage is more than I wish to bear. I know that one of the vendors where I will drop some dollars will ship my knives home to me. Is that service commonly offered by most makers? I would expect to pay for shipping, of course. I don't think it would be practical to buy the knife and then try to pack it and arrange shipping myself from the Waverly. Another idea would be to find a friend who will be driving home after the show, and engage him to carry them and ship to me later.

Certainly some of you show veterans have this figured out? Thanks.
 
It's a problem. I lost a Hendrickson knife I had waited 4-1/2 years for in checked luggage returning from the Reno show several years ago. Jay being the fine gentleman he is immediately made me another and I had a check in hand for full value from Collectibles Insurance Services 30 days to the day of filing the claim.
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php?t=450751

Makers probably wouldn't be too thrilled if everyone asked them to ship their knives, but I feel most would accommodate a buyer. The Waverly does offer a shipping and receiving service but as you said it's a pain in the ass having to package them. I don't think I would trust them to package knives.

I'm driving so I will be glad to take any CKCA member's purchased knives home and then ship to them.
 
resinguy said:
I hope the moderators will indulge me here, as this is not strictly speaking a custom knife question. But I thought it might be of interest to the community, and I expect I can get some useful answers here among the adults.

I am flying to Blade this year, and faced with the problem of how (or if) to carry good, expensive knives to and from Atlanta. The risk of theft from my checked baggage is more than I wish to bear. I know that one of the vendors where I will drop some dollars will ship my knives home to me. Is that service commonly offered by most makers? I would expect to pay for shipping, of course. I don't think it would be practical to buy the knife and then try to pack it and arrange shipping myself from the Waverly. Another idea would be to find a friend who will be driving home after the show, and engage him to carry them and ship to me later.

Certainly some of you show veterans have this figured out? Thanks.
Click to expand...

resinguy, there is a shipping center in the Waverly. It's at the top of the escalators and down the hall to your right, as you head from the hotel lobby to the convention center doors (right before the doorway that leads through from the hotel near the banquet rooms) Shipping is via FedEx, UPS, and maybe DHL too(?) It will be pricey if you have a lot to ship insured, but I did ship a lot the first year. They do have various sized shipping boxes on hand for purchase. (If you already knew this, my apologies for old info!)
Shipping to the Waverly: I believe that if you call the hotel and notify them of an arriving package for yourself as a guest, they will sign for, and hold the package up to 1 week before your arrival for you, no matter who you use to ship it there. I have shipped knives via USPS Priority to the Waverly, and they arrived with no complications.
 
Thanks for asking Resinguy- and thanks all for the answers! I was going to risk taking stuff home in my luggage, so thanks for the heads up Kevin. This is kind of a "once in a lifetime" dream trip for me (I hope it doesn't turn out to be only once, but...) so I really don't need to lose anything!
 
MVF said:
Thanks for asking Resinguy- and thanks all for the answers! I was going to risk taking stuff home in my luggage, so thanks for the heads up Kevin. This is kind of a "once in a lifetime" dream trip for me (I hope it doesn't turn out to be only once, but...) so I really don't need to lose anything!
Click to expand...

Last year, I came home from BLADE with about 10+ knives in my checked bag, including a Gen I XM-18. Others were small Doziers, a Koster, a Krein necker, 2 small Busse's, and a SAK (one of the thicker variety). Although TSA/HSA went through the bag, not a one was missing. Of course I did leave a big note in the bag explaining how:

A.) Every knife was legal for me to posess.
B.) Every knife was thoroughly documented including digital images, and that I had all of this documentation with me in my carry-on bag...
C.)...And that I would make a Federal case, including the willingness to press charges about it should any turn up missing in the event of a search.

Like I said, they searched the bag in Atl/Hartsfield Intl, but every single knife was accounted for, with the note up on top inside the bag... And believe me when I say that I checked for every one right there in Baggage Claim at the Philadelphia Intl. Airport, :cool: I knew someone had been in the bag, but I didn't find the TSA/HSA inspected card until after I got home, so I'm glad I decided to check the knives before leaving the airport.

This year, I'll probably go back to shipping them as I've heard too many reports of knives gone missing thanks to the wonderful security of TSA over the last year. :rolleyes:
 
I have a nice Nikon camera taken on a fight from Philly to Atlanta a few years ago and Delta would not do anything about, I had to buy another one and all I got from Delta was a run a round, TSA would not even give me that, sure 525.00 is not much to them but to me it was, not only was the camera lost but all the pictures of my son's wedding we lost also, so keep close check and good luck.
 
When I ship a knife to a customer I take dense foam insulation board and cut out the profile of the knife packing everything together so there is no movement (movement + sharp edge = BAD). I clean the knife thoroughly and wrap it with a soft towel and cellophane to further protect the edge.

when I pack a knife you could just about drive a truck over the box and it wouldn't dent the box (I spent a year working third shift at UPS sorting boxes and have a pretty good idea of how carriers abuse boxes)


I will gladly pack any knife I sell at the show in this fashion if the buyer wants to ship it himself, or I will ship it for them.

Stephan

Table 24-D
 
If you know that you would like to ship your knives home to yourself then bring a couple of shipping labels and empty boxes with you to the show. You can pack what you bought on friday in your room Sat morning and drop the box off at the shipping center sat morning on your way to the show.

You could even go as far as to print up some pre-paid shipping labels. There is no handling fee at the Waverly shipping center if your just dropping something off.

When I pack my knives to ship to the show I pack them in a small fedex box. I leave this unsealed and then slide the box into a Med fedex box. I seal and mail them this way so when I get to the show I have the small box with me and ready to send any knives home in. It does not take up room in luggage this way either.
 
I carried my knives to Belgium in a shotgun case with a TSA lock and I checked them with TSA as if they were firearms. I have been told that the baggage weenies will not mess with guns except at Denver International where apparently they have some PETA types working there, so they might run over the case with a forklift. (Union won't let them be fired apparently) The Belgians REALLY treated them like they were guns, to the point of having one of the Delta security guys hand carry the case from the check in kiosk without putting it through the handling system..
 
Over the years, I have been known to help out makers and collectors with this.
Contact me off line if I can lend a hand.
Since I live in Atlanta, it is no problem for me to deliver knives (unopened) to folks on Thursday and in turn send anything back. I will take responsibility from the point they are in my hands, until I put them in yours (or the post office's, if I am mailing them back).
 
mooreknives said:
I have a nice Nikon camera taken on a fight from Philly to Atlanta a few years ago and Delta would not do anything about, I had to buy another one and all I got from Delta was a run a round, TSA would not even give me that, sure 525.00 is not much to them but to me it was, not only was the camera lost but all the pictures of my son's wedding we lost also, so keep close check and good luck.
Click to expand...

Exactly my concern. Google 'TSA theft' for all the stories, and you will see that a theft victim has no realistic recourse.


Bastid said:
Over the years, I have been known to help out makers and collectors with this.
Contact me off line if I can lend a hand.
Since I live in Atlanta, it is no problem for me to deliver knives (unopened) to folks on Thursday and in turn send anything back. I will take responsibility from the point they are in my hands, until I put them in yours (or the post office's, if I am mailing them back).
Click to expand...

Wow, that's the great thing about this community. Thanks for the offer, Gus; I will keep that in mind. :thumbup:

I suppose I could pack some boxes and wrapping materials, to ship from the Waverly. Too bad they don't offer USPS, my impression is that is the most cost-effective option for insuring packages.

Any other good ideas?
 
I've found USPS the best way to ship but Collectibles Insurance is the most cost effective option for insuring knives and they are coved everywhere. Even in your checked bags.
 
SOME TSA employees know how to use BladeForums, I'm sure.;)

Best Regards,

STeven Garsson
 
Another option is to bring a gun with you, put it in your checked luggage with your knives, and declare it to the TSA. They will tag your bag and give it special treatment- and be in deep doo-doo if anything happens to it. You have to put your gun in a TSA-approved lockable case, but other than that it's pretty simple.
 
moonwilson said:
Another option is to bring a gun with you, put it in your checked luggage with your knives, and declare it to the TSA. They will tag your bag and give it special treatment- and be in deep doo-doo if anything happens to it. You have to put your gun in a TSA-approved lockable case, but other than that it's pretty simple.
Click to expand...

Good point Moonwilson

I have traveled extensively with guns and usually pack my knife in my gun case and thus far have never had a problem. Since my carry permit is good in Georgia I will probale carry a handgun just to pack my knife in the same lock box.
 
yeap, pelican briefcase w/gun and knives inside it, locked

Inside a pelican suitcase w/good locks on the outside.......works for me.
 
stephanfowler said:
When I ship a knife to a customer I take dense foam insulation board and cut out the profile of the knife packing everything together so there is no movement (movement + sharp edge = BAD). I clean the knife thoroughly and wrap it with a soft towel and cellophane to further protect the edge.

when I pack a knife you could just about drive a truck over the box and it wouldn't dent the box (I spent a year working third shift at UPS sorting boxes and have a pretty good idea of how carriers abuse boxes)

Stephan

Table 24-D
Click to expand...


I can attest to Stephan's knife packaging prowess:thumbup:. I was amazed at how well he took care of that when I bought a knife from him. Sorry, always meant to say how much I appreciated that:)
 
I usually just use the Fedex service in the hotel rather then fussing around. Its pricey but its safe.

Kevin, that is cool of you. I'll probably just do fedex, but maybe we will discuss this..
 
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